Blood Red Sins
by FloatingAmoeba
Summary: Seven oneshots based on the Seven Deadly. Taken from the Fantasy Script challenge. Jane/Lisbon, Risby/Van Pelt.
1. Pride

A/N I'm baaack! I really hope you enjoy reading this collection as much as I've enjoyed writing them! This chapter takes place somewhere after 'Red John's Footsteps', but before the Season 2 premier. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: You remember that Macy's voucher? Well, for the first time, I actually read the small print. Guess what? No. They're still not mine...

* * *

'_Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall'_

_Proverbs 16:18_

Teresa Lisbon was a proud woman.

She was proud of her brothers: one was at MIT studying for a degree in astrophysics, the middle one happily married with two kids, and the youngest was a chef at a classy DC restaurant.

She was proud of her team. Rigsby, Van Pelt and Cho showed great promise within the CBI, and Lisbon just hoped that she wasn't holding them back.

Although she would never admit it, she was proud of Jane. It took a man of great strength to stand upright after losing everything he loved.

Her slight smile faded. Pride was dangerous. Pride made people unguarded, open. Vulnerable.

Pride was what made her mother tear her eyes away from the road. Pride was what made her mother look at the riding trophy in Teresa's lap, and pride was what made her mother miss the drunk driver careening towards them.

Pride was what made her father take his own life, leaving his four children behind, because he couldn't face the truth.

Pride was what made Teresa Lisbon hold her tears inside until she was safe and home.

Jane was proud too, but his was a different sort of pride. More like arrogance, because arrogant people can deflect the attention away from themselves with no more than a few well-chosen put-downs.

In the end, pride was the only thing stopping them seeking comfort in each other, admitting how much they needed help.

It was a painful circle.

* * *

Jane didn't even look up as Lisbon stormed out from her office, coat in hand and heading for the exit. He folded his arms behind his head, his eyes closed.

"Teresa."

At her name, Lisbon froze, tears immediately springing to her eyes. She took a moment to compose herself, saving the tears for later, before turning around.

"What, Jane?"

"You shouldn't keep it bottled up."

Cho sat up straighter in his seat, glancing across at Rigsby and Van Pelt, and receiving concerned looks in return.

Lisbon swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Excuse me?"

Jane stood up, his blue eyes shining in the dim lighting.

"You've been working later and later each day," he said suddenly, his voice soft, "but when you think nobody is watching, you're counting the hours until you can leave, because the longer you can stay here means shorter amounts of time in an empty house."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, forgetting to be the boss and just letting him see the woman he was obviously aiming to hurt.

"Your phone has been ringing all morning, and you know it's your brothers, but you won't talk to them. That puzzles me."

"Jane..." she warned quietly. He shrugged, but this was one of the few times that his casualness didn't quite meet his eyes.

"You don't want to talk to them because you'll hear how _they've_ managed to put the past behind them. Your parent's deaths, growing up with you instead of your mother, always known as 'Teresa's brothers'."

Lisbon was silent, giving him his confirmation, dreading what he would say when he inevitably continued. Van Pelt stood up.

"We'll leave..."

"No, it's OK," Lisbon interrupted, and Grace reluctantly sank back into her seat, "I'm sure Jane prefers an audience."

"They think you're happy, don't they? Because you're too proud to admit that your life sucks."

Jane felt physically sick at her almost imperceptible flinch, but he couldn't stop until she was hurting just as much as he was. She had cost him his only link to Red John, now he was stripping her down to the young girl still hiding beneath a badge, letting her team see the Teresa Lisbon that was normally so well concealed.

The three junior agents were carefully studying their desks, heads bowed and waiting for Lisbon to hit back.

"Was that all because you're mad at me for getting in the way?" she said quietly, "Because I let you down? Because it's my fault you lost Hardy? Because you're too proud to admit that your life sucks?"

They all had to admire her calmness.

"I think you're just too pigheaded and arrogant to admit that I was right," Lisbon stated.

"Right about what?"

"Right about you choosing life."

"I didn't choose life! What kind of life is this?" Jane replied, gesturing around.

"Yes, you did, Jane," she said quietly, "You chose _**my**_ life."

He was silent, the muscle in his cheek twitching as he barely controlled his anger.

"You think you can make me change my mind about hiring you? You can't. That was a very nice story, Jane," Lisbon continued, and only her consultant caught the waver in her voice, "but that's all it was. A story."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Lisbon."

Lisbon felt the tears returning, and spun on her heel, walking swiftly out of the office. Cho turned to Jane, his eyes burning fiercely.

"Did you do that because of the Red John thing?"

"That man was important to me," Jane replied evenly.

"More important than Lisbon?" Van Pelt exploded suddenly, and Rigsby shrunk down in his seat, "My God, you are such an ass!"

The three men stared at her incredulously, watching her rant unravel before them.

"She's worked her ass off to keep you out of jail! She knows how much you wanted Hardy to tell you about Red John! Lisbon _never_ asked you to shoot him, Jane. You did it by yourself, and you have to go and make _her_ feel like crap because _you_ screwed up!"

Jane took her verbal assault in silence, his hands hanging loosely from his pockets. Van Pelt released a frustrated sigh.

"You only did that because you thought she'd fire you. Right?"

"That wasn't the _only_ reason..." Jane admitted weakly. He sat down on his sofa, his head falling into his hands.

"I could have had Red John," he whispered. Cho nodded.

"Yeah, but you'd be dead, man, and we'd all be worse off."

Jane cracked a smile, albeit one that was barely a fraction of his usual grin.

"I think that's the first nice thing you've ever said to me," he said. Cho rolled his eyes.

"Only because I know Lisbon's going to kick your ass to New York and back."

Jane's smile faded, the sadness returning to his eyes.

"Ah. Lisbon."

"You should go talk to her," Rigsby said. A wrinkle appeared in Jane's nose, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Van Pelt cut him off.

"You owe her an apology, and I wouldn't blame her if she never spoke to you again, so swallow your pride and go crawling back."

She ignored their surprise and poked Jane in the chest. Grace glared up at him, and the consultant realized that it wasn't just Lisbon he had hurt.

She looked away.

"Go. Now."

* * *

Lisbon sighed as there was a knocking at her front door. She opened the door, and spoke before he even had the chance.

"The only reason you're here is to save yourself the embarrassment of being ignored, so leave."

Tearing his eyes away from the puffiness around her face, Jane stared at his shoes, a sadness creeping across his face.

"I know you won't believe me, but I really am sorry."

"No, you're not," Lisbon said angrily, "You had no right to embarrass me like that!"

"I didn't mean..." he replied miserably, but seeing the wounded glare she was levelling at him, his voice trailed off.

"I don't need you here, Jane. You've made it more than evident that I...we mean nothing to you. And I don't care anymore, Jane," she said in defeat, "I just don't care."

Lisbon made a move to shut the door, but Jane stopped it from closing.

"I need you," he blurted. She stared at him, and he realized what he had said, "I need your _help_."

Her mouth remained frozen in shock, her eyes glued to his. Jane swallowed, his hands falling to his sides as he continued.

"I'm sorry I said what I did. What I said," he said, his voice soft and sad, "I was arrogant enough to believe that I could do what I need to do without the CBI...without you. I was wrong. So here I am, swallowing my pride, and asking you to let me have another chance."

Lisbon realized that is was probably her turn to speak.

"Another chance at what?"

Jane's eyes burned into hers, begging her to understand.

"Another chance to get Red John."

She sighed.

"Jane..."

"Please, Teresa. Let me try. I need to know my family is proud of me."

"And you need to get Red John so they know that?" Lisbon said quietly.

"Yes," he replied promptly.

Her hands were tied.

Forgive him one more time and help him anyway she could, or turn him away, watch him leave the CBI and all but sign his death warrant.

After a moment, she nodded.

"Fine," she said, "but there will be rules. I want to be kept in the loop, and if you ever..."

"I won't," Jane interrupted quickly, wrapping her in a tight hug, "I won't."

Lisbon blinked at the sudden embrace, until a small smile crept across her face. Jane chuckled, and then his smug voice was whispering in her ear.

"I knew you'd forgive me."

* * *

So yes, Jane was a total ass. But we all have to admit that he is probably capable of being so mean, to Lisbon especially. If you liked it, please let me know! :)


	2. Envy

A/N I personally love this chapter- is it bad that I keep watching the 'scene' in my head, even though it doesn't actually exist? :S Anyway...thanks so much for all the reviews on the first chapter! I'm so glad you all enjoyed it! Mental note: if you think it ends abruptly, yes, it will be followed up in Chapter 4. Sneaky grin.

Disclaimer: Do DVDs and a calendar count?

* * *

'_Envy slayeth the silly one'_

_Job 5:2_

It was meant to be casual. She couldn't remember why it started, and she didn't know when it had started to get complicated. But it had.

A soft knock on the door of her hotel room, seeking comfort in the night. The sound of her doorbell on the anniversary of her mother's death, because he knew how much she needed him. Then a few days in between, just because they could.

And it would never be talked about. It was the typical 'morning-after' scenario, if in fact either one of them stayed until the sun came up. The sixth time he had turned up at her apartment (she had yet to venture past his entrance hall), Lisbon decided to break the silence.

"Stay," she had said softly, lying naked in her bed and watching him fasten the zipper on his pants.

Jane shook his head, and she let him go, listening to the front door shut behind him. She never brought it up again- he'd turn up, they'd have sex, he'd leave. And Lisbon continued trying to make herself believe that there were no feelings involved.

He made her laugh. Always made her laugh. Sometimes made her cry. Rarely made her do both at the same time.

Making her believe that he wanted her, gently making her fall in love over and over again with every smile.

Lisbon forced herself to move on, to forget about whatever feelings she thought she may have had for Jane, and instead found herself with a boyfriend. Eric.

Jane was caught between a rock and a hard place, and just like that she was gone. Now he was stuck seeing her every day, seeing her and not being able to touch her like he wanted to, seeing her dance with _Eric_.

Two weeks after Lisbon introduced him to Eric, Jane took off his wedding ring.

"You should tell her," came the voice from his elbow, and Jane turned, frowning slightly.

"What?"

"You should tell her that you love her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied, turning back to the bar. Van Pelt sighed heavily, knowing it was pointless trying to convince him, and left him alone with his drink.

Jane downed the rest of his whisky, wincing at the burning in his throat.

Yes, tonight was going to be fun.

* * *

Lisbon glared over Eric's shoulder, catching the knowing smirk Jane was sending in her direction. His own dance partner was tall and curvy, long blonde hair to match her seemingly endless legs.

Seeing her consultant's hand drop lower down her back, Lisbon gritted her teeth, pressing herself more firmly against Eric.

"What do you say we heat things up?" she said with a flirty grin. He blinked in surprise, but Lisbon was already wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Uh...sure."

A few feet away, the muscle in Jane's jaw twitched ominously when a pair of unfamiliar hands spun _his_ Lisbon around. The woman he was dancing with was, admittedly, very attractive, as was the man currently whispering in Teresa's ear.

She laughed. The son of a bitch made her laugh. Jane's brow creased almost imperceptibly, and anyone who knew him could see the menacing glint in his eyes.

"Patrick?"

He couldn't remember her name. Amy...Andrea...Anna? She had been the first woman to approach him after he headed towards the dance floor three hours ago, and Jane had seized the opportunity to lose himself in another woman.

"Amber?" he echoed with a charming smile. She unconsciously leaned closer, her body moving in time with his.

"Spin me."

He obliged, for no other reason than having her facing away from him meant she couldn't see that his eyes were fixed on the small brunette grinding her hips against the Rob Lowe lookalike three feet to his left.

Lisbon bit her lower lip, watching the blonde Barbie doll laugh at whatever Jane had just whispered in her ear. He looked up, and then blue eyes were meeting green in a challenging clash of wills, daring the other to break first, a blatant reminder of other things, more exciting things, they could be doing right now.

Jane dragged his hands up Amber's sides, watching Lisbon stiffen and jerk in her boyfriend's arms.

"Teresa, are you OK?" he asked. She pasted a smile on her face.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly, leaning up to catch his lips in a kiss. She could almost hear the clenching of Jane's jaw.

"Patrick...you're hurting me..."

Jane blinked, and loosened his grip on Amber's waist.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, "I get caught up in the music. Care to dip?" He dropped her suddenly, her fall broken only by his arm. She giggled.

"You're quite the dancer," she laughed. Jane's gaze flicked to Lisbon just in time to see her look away. He smirked to himself.

"Oh, you have no idea."

* * *

"Am I keeping you from something?"

At the frustration tingeing his voice, Lisbon looked up at Eric in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Your colleague," he clarified, spitting the word out, "you've barely taken your eyes off him all night."

Lisbon felt her eyes narrow, and dropped her arms from around his waist.

"I'm looking out for a friend."

"A friend? So why has he been looking at you like he's imagining you naked?"

A blush shot up into her cheeks, images of two sated bodies lying tangled together flashing through her mind. Lisbon cleared her throat.

"Thank you for tonight," she said, "I'll call you."

It was a lie, and they both knew it.

Ignoring the curious stare Jane was levelling at her, Lisbon grabbed her purse and jacket from the table.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she muttered. Van Pelt nodded mutely, and Rigsby frowned in concern, eyeing a spurned Eric in distaste.

"You want me to walk you out, boss?"

"No, I'm good."

Seeing Lisbon disappear out of the door, and catching the dirty look Eric tossed him, Jane carefully removed Amber's hand from his waist. He flashed her a brief smile.

"Would you excuse me for a minute? I'll be right back."

She sighed in defeat, stepping away.

"Don't bother."

The smile slid from his face.

"Amber..."

"Come on, Patrick. You've been staring at her all night."

"I don't..."

"I'm not the jealous type," Amber said quietly, "but I think your Lisbon is, and I don't want to get caught in the middle of whatever you two have going on."

He smiled.

"If I wasn't already in love, I think you and I could have had some fun," he pointed out, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek and disappearing after Lisbon.

She was already halfway across the car park when Jane caught her wrist, pulling her to a sudden stop.

"Why are you running away?" he demanded. Lisbon yanked her arm from his grasp.

"Go away, Jane. You've already ruined my evening."

"By dancing with another woman?"

"By making me feel like nothing!" Lisbon exploded angrily, "By flaunting your dead wife in my face."

All humour was gone from his face, replaced by a look that cut deep into her heart.

"Teresa..."

"I'm not stupid. I've seen the crime scene photos, remember? I know that she was tall, blonde..."

"Is that what you were jealous of?" Jane interrupted, "Amber? A woman I met three hours ago?"

Lisbon bit her bottom lip, realizing that this argument was fairly pointless and would do nothing more than hurt them both.

"I'm going to go home now," she said. Jane took a step towards her.

"Alone?"

"Yes, Jane."

"What about us?"

"There is no 'us', Jane!" she replied incredulously, "You can't just keep me hanging on because you're not sure whether you want me or not! We had a stupid fling, and now it's over."

Lisbon got halfway into her car before she heard his voice calling after her.

"What if I don't want it to be over?"

She hesitated, one hand on the roof of her car, the other hanging loosely at her side.

"Jane..." she pleaded.

He spoke again, but this time his voice was close behind her, and Lisbon could feel the warmth of his body against her back.

"What if I'm done watching you waste time on other guys?"

She couldn't move, despite her whole body wanting to turn to face him.

"Wasting my time?"

"I know what you look like naked," he murmured, and Lisbon heard her breath hitch as his tone turned teasing. Jane chuckled softly, turning her around and pushing her against the car.

"Now we've determined that a jealous Lisbon is not such a pretty sight, maybe you'd care to make a deal with me?"

"What kind of deal?" she asked warily, hating that she gave in so easily.

"No more men."

"No more women," Lisbon challenged. Jane grinned, leaning in to capture her lips.

"Except you, my dear, obviously."

* * *

Nobody else really stood a chance, did they? Sigh. If only the writer's would give us all a break...anyway, leave a review if you have a moment! :D


	3. Gluttony

A/N I actually meant to post this yesterday, so I apologize for it being a little late. Thanks so much for the great support I've had so far! I hope you all enjoy this chapter just as much!

Disclaimer: I really want Simon Baker on a t-shirt...but until then, I can safely say I don't own The Mentalist.

_She slapped the shot glass down on the table, giggling at the surprise showing on his face._

"_Hit me again!" she demanded, waving her hand in the general direction of the bartender. Jane downed his own drink, and with a slight cough, winced at the burning sensation in his throat._

"_We shouldn't be doing this," she murmured suddenly. His grin faded slightly._

"_Why not?"_

"_We work together."_

_It was a lame excuse- they both knew why, but she'd never say it, and he'd never ask. He'd bulldozed right into her perfectly contained life and trampled all over the walls she'd built. Now he was just tearing them down._

_The bartender placed two more shots in front of them._

Lisbon massaged her temples, cursing every god under the sun for the pounding in her head.

"How are you feeling?"

She opened an eye to glare at him.

"Go away. I don't want to talk to you."

Jane shut the door behind him, stepping further into the room, his face uncharacteristically serious.

"How bad is it?"

"Bad," she replied shortly, choosing to assume that he was referring to her head. Jane sat down opposite her.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Lisbon scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. Jane frowned slightly.

"You're still angry..." he realized.

"What do you mean _still_ angry? I never **stopped** being angry! And which part of 'Go away' has you confused?"

Jane leant forward uncertainly.

"Which part of last night are you most upset about?"

"...I don't remember."

"_1...2...3...drink!"_

_The two people sitting in the booth farthest from the bar threw back their heads, fiery shots of whatever drink it was disappearing down their throats. Lisbon giggled, dropping the glass back to the table._

_Jane watched her with a smile hanging from his lips, unused to seeing her so relaxed._

"_You should slow down," he laughed. Lisbon glared at him._

"_Leave me alone, Jane."_

"_I would, but I don't think I can."_

_She raised her hand, signalling the waitress over._

"_Whisky double, on the rocks."_

Shaking her head to clear the memories, Lisbon slammed her pen down.

"The part where I broke every single rule I've ever made. The part where I let my emotions interfere with a _case_! The part where **you** let me get drunk and then took advantage of me," she hissed. His eyes turned sad.

"Took advantage of you? I thought..."

"Jane, I really don't want to talk about it, OK? Go annoy somebody else."

He was silent for a moment.

"You should stop being angry at yourself, Lisbon," he said quietly, "we can just pretend it never happened."

Jane was gone before Lisbon could reply, leaving her with nothing but another fragment of memory.

"_You can help me."_

_There was an alcohol-induced huskiness to her voice, and Jane thought it was the sexiest thing he had ever heard._

"_I can help you with what?" Jane asked as she moved closer._

"_I need to forget, Jane," she murmured, pressing her forehead against his._

"_You're going to regret this in the morning," he warned, and Lisbon closed her eyes._

"_Patrick..." she pleaded breathlessly. He swallowed hard, only a shadow of the man he usually was because despite her inebriated state, Lisbon had all the control._

"_I don't know if I can pretend it never happened."_

_Jane took a deep breath and pulled away. Lisbon's eyes shot open, taking it as rejection until she saw the look in his eyes. He held her gaze for a second, and looked away, his hands finding hers._

"_Let's get out of here."_

* * *

Rigsby groaned, his head falling onto his desk.

"I feel ill," he moaned. Van Pelt rested her hand on his head, her fingers gliding through the spiky brown hair.

"Why don't you go home?" she said in concern. He groaned again.

"Too much to do..."

"JANE!"

From his position on his sofa, the blonde consultant grinned, his eyes still closed.

Lisbon appeared beside them, her arms folded and a frown creasing her brow. Van Pelt hastily removed her hand from the back of Rigsby's neck, just before Lisbon turned to her with a questioning look.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's eaten too much," Cho explained helpfully.

"He's eaten too much?" Lisbon echoed in disbelief. Van Pelt sighed.

"We...HE drove past an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet," she admitted, shooting Cho a glare when he sniggered.

"An 'all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet'?" Lisbon repeated, "And you just had to take them literally?"

Rigsby's reply was muffled by his arms.

"Yes, boss."

"Go home. I don't want you throwing up everywhere."

"Thanks, boss..." Rigsby groaned, pulling himself out of his chair and stumbling towards the exit.

While the two women were watching Rigsby try and make it to his car without throwing up, Cho's attention was focused on Lisbon. There was something not quite right about her today. Not snapping as much as usual, nowhere near Jane, and she seemed...

"Are you hung-over?" he asked, the faintest hint of amusement and incredulity breaking through his normally stoic voice. Lisbon felt a blush rise up in her cheeks.

"_Teresa..."_

"_Tess," she interrupted. Jane frowned._

"_What?"_

"_You...are my friend. Therefore..." she slurred slowly, "you should call me Tess."_

_Jane chuckled, his hand falling to trace circles on her back._

"_Lisbon, who else actually calls you Tess?"_

"_My brothers," she shot back defensively._

"_But they're family."_

"_Well, so are you." Realizing that didn't quite make sense, Lisbon frowned thoughtfully. "In a non-romantic, strictly-platonic...friendshippy romance...kinda way."_

_Jane grinned at the adorable crease in her brow, and took advantage of her momentary confusion to remove the beer bottle from her hand._

"_Stop drinking now...Tess," he whispered as Lisbon fell sideways into him._

Cho stifled a soft laugh at the heat now flaring down her neck. She really _was_ that easy to read.

"Why are you mad at Jane?" he asked. Lisbon spared him a brief glare, before storming across to the sofa, only just remembering her reason for coming out of her office.

"JANE!"

"Yes, Lisbon?" he replied brightly. She appeared in front of his sofa, giving it a slight kick.

"Give me my chocolate."

"What chocolate?"

"MY chocolate!"

"I don't have your chocolate."

A beat of silence.

"But if I _did _have your chocolate, it would be keeping cool in the fridge."

Rolling her eyes, Lisbon disappeared into the kitchenette, returning with a more relaxed expression on her face and a small bar of chocolate in her hand. Jane watched her for a moment, saw the concentration on her face as she broke off a square, heard the soft moan as it finally reached her mouth.

He cleared his throat.

"You eat chocolate when you're hungover and in danger of losing your temper. This is your third bar today."

"I wonder what I could be stressed about," Lisbon replied sarcastically.

"Are you always this horrible when you've had too much alcohol?" Jane asked quietly.

"No, but I rarely wake up next to my consultant," she shot back in a whisper.

"Are you going to share?"

Getting no reply, he sat up on the sofa.

"You shouldn't eat it all by yourself," Jane called as she stomped back to her office, "you'll lose that stunning figure of yours! Lisbon? Lisbon!"

* * *

It was well past dark when Lisbon finally re-emerged from her office. She came to a stop next to him.

"Move your legs," she demanded quietly.

Jane's eyes shot open, hastily pulling his legs up so she could sit down beside him. He watched her for a moment, counting the seconds until she spoke.

Lisbon cleared her throat.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry," she said quietly, "for being...off, with you today."

"You _were_ off with me today," Jane agreed thoughtfully. The woman beside him blushed pink.

"I was being selfish. I needed to think, and..."

Jane reached out to drag a finger down her cheek, smirking at her involuntary shiver.

"You're just a glutton for wallowing in self-hatred, aren't you?" he teased gently. Lisbon unconsciously leant into his touch, hating how weak she was for giving in.

"And you're a self-indulgent ass, so I guess we're even."

Jane chuckled, and as he allowed a silence to fall over them both, turned his head to watch the peacefulness steal across her face. He smiled to himself, more than content to just sit with Lisbon beside him.

After a moment, he circled an arm around her shoulders.

"Did you know that the word 'hangover' comes from a 19th century term meaning unfinished business? Rather fitting, don't you think?"

Lisbon laughed softly, swatting a hand into his chest.

"Stop talking, Jane."

* * *

These are definitely random...next up is 'Lust'. That should clue you in, LOL. Leave a review on your way out!

* * *


	4. Lust

A/N I have a feeling you're all going to like this chapter. Thanks so much for all the reviews I've been receiving. It really means a lot! BTW, this is the follow up chapter to 'Envy', because I couldn't just leave them in the car park, LOL.

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED 'M' FOR MATURE CONTENT**

Disclaimer: Nope. Still not mine.

* * *

'_God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator'_

_Romans 1:24-27_

They just about make it through the front door with all of their clothes on. Jane tugs at the zip on the front of Lisbon's pants, and she growls in frustration as the buttons on his shirt refuse to undo.

Roughly kissing her neck, he slides her pants down to the floor, tracing circles on her skin.

"_I'm going to go home now," she said. Jane took a step towards her._

"_Alone?"_

"_Yes, Jane."_

"_What about us?"_

"_There is no 'us', Jane!" she replied incredulously, "You can't just keep me hanging on because you're not sure whether you want me or not! We had a stupid fling, and now it's over."_

_Lisbon got halfway into her car before she heard his voice calling after her._

"_What if I don't want it to be over?"_

_She hesitated, one hand on the roof of her car, the other hanging loosely at her side._

"_Jane..." she pleaded._

_He spoke again, but this time his voice was close behind her, and Lisbon could feel the warmth of his body against her back._

"_What if I'm done watching you waste time on other guys?"_

And there had just been something about his quiet honesty that made something inside of her sit up and pay attention.

Too much attention.

With conviction Lisbon didn't think he had, Jane pushes her back against the closed door. She claims his lips in another explosive kiss, and wraps her hands around the back of his neck. Jane shrugs off his shirt, and it falls to the floor, alongside Lisbon's long discarded t-shirt. He lowers his head to her shoulder.

A soft sigh slips from between her lips as he bites down on the space just below her ear.

"Jane..." she gasps, "Patrick..."

"Ssh," he replies, because he doesn't want to ruin anything with words, and she falls silent. His hands are everywhere, in her hair, on her arms, down her back, then cupping her ass and pulling her into him. Lisbon groans at the hardness pressing against her thigh, and feels Jane smirk against her lips.

She doesn't want to think about how wrong this is, so she lets her tongues snake out to stroke his, scraping the roof of his mouth because they both know this won't happen again. Lisbon pulls him closer, his body lined perfectly against hers.

Jane runs a hand down her spine, feeling each bone beneath his fingertips and commits them all to memory. Her own hands fall from his neck, and he feels heat rush all over his body as she begins searching for the buckle of his belt.

She wants to say something, but he has already hushed her once, and Lisbon thinks she understands why. Without words, they are just two people, not quite in love but close to it, and this moment is theirs.

As soon as names are whispered, the illusion is gone and they are broken again, so Lisbon keeps her mouth shut. Settles for gently biting down on his lower lip and she finally has his belt undone. Focuses on the button and fly.

Jane groans as her slim fingers accidentally, or not, brush against his erection.

"Are you trying to kill me, woman?" he murmurs, his lips barely leaving hers.

Lisbon is no longer concerned about where they do it, as long as it happens soon. Fumbling with the zipper on his pants, she pushes him backwards to the sofa, resting her hands on his chest. His gray suit pants fall to the floor, pooling at his feet as Jane sinks onto the sofa cushions.

"Lisbon..." he murmurs suddenly, like her name has just escaped without him knowing, "Teresa."

She straddles his hips, feels the solid firmness beneath her and releases a shaky breath.

"I need you," she whispers, her hips grinding against his. He catches her lips, because if she keeps talking to him with that raw and open edge to her voice, he doesn't know how long he'll last.

Jane reaches between them, going beneath her panties to stroke her, to tease her into readiness. Lisbon rocks against him, her eyes closing as he slides a finger between her folds. His thumb finds the swollen bud between her thighs, and her whole body tightens.

"Oh God..." she hisses. Jane lowers his head to her neck, adding a second finger. He has every intention of satisfying her needs only, but when he looks up and sees Teresa arching towards him, her body his for the taking, Jane feels a fluttering in the very bottom of his stomach.

He removes his fingers, chuckling at her whine of protest. She nips at his throat in retaliation, and when a shiver runs through him, knows she has finally got under his skin. Heat rushes through both of them, collecting at the pit of their stomachs like a spring waiting to uncoil.

Jane tries not to faint when her hand cups him through the thin material of his boxer briefs. It's been a while, he remembers. His hips jerk forward, and Lisbon can feel the heat of him against her palm. Underwear is lost in a matter of seconds, because neither of them can stand this game for much longer.

There's no time to think about the trivial things, like protection or location or whatever the hell they did after this, because for once Lisbon was letting herself live in the moment. Maybe that will be the end of her.

There is a shared intake of breath as he finally slides into her. She is tight and wet around him, her warmth making Jane light-headed. Lisbon drops her forehead to his shoulder, gasping when he sinks further between her thighs.

His arms are wrapped about her waist, hers finding his neck as Jane starts to thrust up into her. She bites her lip to stop herself from crying out each time his hips collide with hers, for no other reason than silence really was golden.

Sensing her struggle, Jane kisses her again, slow and lazy, and his pace starts to increase. It's too much to make it last, and he can't help it turning frenzied. Their kiss turns frantic, as if they are in a race to the finish line. Jane tears his lips away, moving down over her cheek to the curve of her jaw, then further down the lines of her neck.

Lisbon breaks her vow of silence, groaning his name when the tip of his erection hits the perfect spot inside her. She is thankful that he is a mentalist, because just as she opens her mouth to tell him she can't hold on anymore, his fingers find her most sensitive spot, rubbing and stroking her until her eyes blur and her mind goes blank.

Jane watches, sweat beading on his brow, as her whole body tightens above him, her thighs clenching around his hips. She falls over the edge, her orgasm strong and intense and possibly the most beautiful thing Jane has witnessed.

Lisbon's head falls back, her lips parted in silent prayer, her face a frozen mask of pleasure. She tightens around him, and Jane groans his release into the hollow of her throat.

There's a moment when the world just seems to stop, and then they're both just floating over the edge. Lisbon can feel him inside her, warm and pulsing and her fingers are clutching at his shoulders.

Through bleary eyes, Jane watches the erratic pulse beating, watches her chest rise and fall. Her hair tickles his thighs, and then Lisbon straightens, her whole body still shaking with each aftershock of her orgasm.

And just like that, it's over.

All his muscles have gone weak. Jane sinks further down against the cushions, the sweat cooling rapidly from his body. Lisbon straightens and her eyes find his, a split second of regret and fear that comes and goes before either of them can make sense of it.

For once Jane can't foresee the outcome. He doesn't know what is about to happen. A fish in unchartered waters.

But then Lisbon leans forward, her lace covered breasts pressing against her chest, and touches her lips to his. Her head drops to his chest, collapsing into him, her breath rushing out in one long sigh of relief.

Jane lets his fingers dance over her spine. She feels her head move with each of his breaths, and tries to reassure him with a stroke of her hand over his stomach. Jane takes a deep, shuddering breath.

"I need...we..." he begins, but then his voice trails off. Lisbon tucks her head under his chin.

"Ssh..." she says, because for the first time, she doesn't need to be a mentalist to figure out what he's trying to say, "I know."

* * *

Well, there ya go! My first ever Jisbon smut! ;) If you have a moment, please leave a review!


	5. Anger

A/N I'M SO SORRY! Slaps on the wrist for me. To make up for the late update, I promise to post the next chapter tomorrow! Anyway, I thought I'd jump on the long-forgotten bandwagon and write a post-Red John's Footsteps fic. Here ya go! It's a sort-of-not-quite-almost-semi-established Jane/Lisbon relationship. I hope you enjoy it, and I really am sorry for being so slow!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist. Unfortunately.

'_In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry'_

_Ephesians 4:26_

People were finding any reason to avoid walking past her office. It wasn't a private argument by any means- Minnelli could hear every word from his office.

Behind the closed door, Lisbon and Jane stood opposite each other, their toes touching, cheeks a matching shade of red.

"You should have waited!" Jane said angrily.

"I know, and I'm sorry!"

"Oh, you're sorry. That makes everything better."

Lisbon stabbed a finger into his chest.

"You do **not** get to treat me like shit, Jane!" she yelled, "I have put up with your crap for way too long!"

Jane laughed in disbelief.

"My crap? Lisbon, you have no idea what 'putting up with my crap' entails," he replied.

"Oh yeah, because Patrick Jane is so dark and bitter and twisted nobody could handle him," she snapped angrily. Jane grabbed her arms, glaring down at her.

"Dark and bitter and twisted? Have you looked in the mirror recently?" he said, his quiet voice full of anger.

Lisbon's eyes blazed as she glared up at him, and the female agent struggled against his grip. After a moment, Jane dropped her wrists.

"Minnelli will have my letter of resignation in the morning."

Lisbon narrowed her eyes.

"You don't get to treat me like shit," she repeated, "I've worked too hard to let you walk all over me."

For a moment, his eyes softened.

"Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"Are you going to tell me it's not?"

Jane shrugged, turning away.

"I didn't think I had to," he replied softly, "I'll see you around, Lisbon."

**

* * *

**

Six Weeks Later

"Can you get me the file on the latest Red John case? I just need to sign off on it and then we're done."

"Sure thing, boss," Rigsby replied with a smile, disappearing from sight. Lisbon seemed to deflate, until Van Pelt gave her a sideways glance.

"Have you heard from Jane recently?" she asked quietly. Lisbon blew out a breath, the slump of her shoulders giving Van Pelt her answer before her boss even opened her mouth.

"No," Lisbon said finally. She turned away, just so Van Pelt wouldn't see the hurt on her face.

There was a brief silence, until Van Pelt cleared her throat.

"It wasn't your fault, you know. Jane leaving."

"Wasn't it?" Lisbon replied softly. Van Pelt stifled a sigh, leaving Lisbon alone in the kitchenette.

"She's right. It wasn't your fault."

Her empty mug crashed to the counter as Lisbon spun around. Jane was leaning against the doorframe, a ghost of a smile hovering around his lips. She stared at him for a moment, noting how tired and drawn he looked.

After a moment, she turned away, righting her mug and pouring herself some coffee.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"Well, as you can see, I'm busy," she replied sharply, hating the waver in her voice. Jane pushed off the wall, moving to stand beside her.

"You got a Red John case and you didn't tell me?"

Lisbon flinched at the hurt in his voice, swallowing hard.

"You left," she replied, really not intending to sound so accusing.

"I didn't have a choice," Jane protested softly. She looked up at him, turning until her hip was pressed against the counter.

"There's always a choice."

Lisbon's statement hung in the air between them. They stood staring at each other, eyes locked.

"Boss, we've got a..." Rigsby stopped suddenly at the sight of the blonde consultant, "Oh, hey Jane!"

Lisbon looked between them, and with a heavy sigh of defeat, she moved towards her office.

"Gas the truck, Rigsby."

Jane jogged after her, catching her wrist.

"We need to talk," he said in frustration. Lisbon pulled her arm from his grip, her glare barely masking the pain in her eyes.

"No, Jane, we don't."

* * *

Lisbon had known he wouldn't leave.

In the time it had taken them to visit the crime scene and then return to the CBI, the anger inside her had festered into something violent, something raw and untamed.

It was late when they returned, so she had let the others go home. The department was dark and silent, the light from the moon casting shadows over the desks.

"I never meant to hurt you by leaving."

His voice didn't surprise her, but Lisbon jumped nonetheless.

"You didn't hurt me," she lied, "you made me...frustrated."

"Is there a difference?"

Jane was angry. She was angry too, but he was _angry. _And the glass of whisky on the table in front of him wasn't much help. His fists were raw, and spent. Like him.

He heard her take a deep breath, and then her footsteps were soft on the plastic floor as she crossed to him. Jane tensed as she stopped in front of him, and with a sigh, dropped his clenched fists to his side.

"What are you doing?"

"You wanted to talk."

"Leave me alone, Lisbon," he replied harshly. She moved towards him, daring to reach out and touch his arm. He turned to look at her, and immediately wished he hadn't. It was those eyes; those big, green, ridiculously attractive eyes.

"I'm sorry for what I said. Before, about you being too complicated for me," she said quietly.

He sighed heavily, letting his eyelids fall shut and feeling her move closer.

"I know. It just..."

Her hand rested on top of his, her slim fingers tangling around his and nearly wiping away the pain.

"You didn't have to come back," she said after a moment.

"But I did."

Another silence.

"I wish you hadn't."

Jane remained silent, his thumb tracing absent circles on the back of her hand. Lisbon stared at the floor.

"There's always a choice Jane. You can choose Red John...or you can choose me," she murmured, "but you can't have both."

"So I'm just supposed to make a decision? Just like that?" Jane snapped, "It's not that easy!"

Lisbon pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek, sad and full of regrets, before standing up.

"Then I guess we know."

Jane wanted to reach out and grab her hand, drag her back into his arms, but he couldn't. He settled for looking away, just so she wouldn't see him giving up.

"Know what?"

There was a slight hitch in her voice as Lisbon replied, straightening her back and walking away.

"That when you give up on life, when all you have left is anger and hatred, nobody is worth fighting for."

"But you're worth fighting for...aren't you?" he said, hating that he sounded so uncertain, because Patrick Jane wasn't uncertain about anything. Lisbon shrugged, her back to him so he couldn't read her like he normally did.

Nothing about this was normal, she realized.

"Come find me when you work it out."

* * *

I am aware that addition was quite angsty, so I've made extra sure the final two chapters are full of fluff. Well, sort of...leave me a review if you get a chance!

* * *


	6. Greed

A/N And here we have the first of two very fluffy chapters. Totally unrelated, but still kinda sweet. We also have an established Jane/Lisbon relationship, which makes me happy! :D I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jane or Lisbon. If I did, trust me you'd know about it.

* * *

'_Keep your lives free from money and be content with what you have'_

_Hebrews 13:5_

Shutting her car door, Lisbon sighed heavily, moving silently towards her home. Involuntarily, and she would fiercely deny it if asked, she wished there was somebody waiting for her inside.

Lisbon opened the door, dropping her keys to the table beside her.

"You're late."

At the voice from her sofa, Lisbon gasped, her hand flying to the weapon holstered at her hip. The side lamp was switched on, revealing a grinning Jane lounging comfortably against the cushions.

"What the...I could have shot you!"

He waved a dismissive hand.

"Meh, nonsense."

Lisbon breathed out slowly, eyeing Jane in concern and confusion.

"What are you doing here?"

Even in the dim lighting, she could the flash of hunger and lust dance in his eyes, before being carefully masked behind a casual shrug.

"No self control, remember?"

_Six Months Earlier_

_It was late, and as usual, Lisbon was the last person to leave. She actually had no intention of going home- it was possible (probable) that Jane would be there, and she really didn't feel up to __**that**__ conversation tonight._

_Lisbon moved to make herself another cup of coffee. There were so many papers to sign, a full night's work. Besides, Jane wasn't here, so she was safe._

"_I tried your apartment, but you weren't there."_

_She jumped, releasing a growl of frustration and spinning around._

"_Don't sneak up on people." Jane grinned, pushing off the doorframe and moving closer._

"_What is your mood doing today?"_

"_Just got worse," Lisbon snapped. He smirked, but when he spoke again, his voice was serious._

"_Why are you really so angry?"_

_Lisbon set down the spoon, resting her palms on the countertop and releasing the breath that had built up._

"_Because I don't think it was a mistake," she said softly, "because I liked it. Because I don't know if I can pretend it never happened. Because apparently I have a bigger masochistic streak than I thought. Because...because..."_

_Lisbon felt her voice trail off as a pair of hands tangled around her waist._

"_Jane..." she warned. He chuckled, his face buried in the crook of her neck._

"_Lisbon..."_

_She pushed at his hands._

"_Jane...Jane, stop...we need to talk..."_

_He laughed again, because despite her best attempts to keep the lust out of her voice, Lisbon's body was doing its own thing and gladly arching into him._

"_Last night wasn't a mistake," he murmured, "and I have no inclination to pretend it never happened."_

"_But we can't!" Lisbon protested breathlessly._

"_Yes, we can," Jane teased, feeling her heave a sigh of defeat and sink back against him._

"_You just couldn't leave it alone, could you? You __had__ to have more!" Lisbon said in exasperation, turning around to look at him._

"_I'm a glutton."_

"_Yeah, for inappropriate relationships," she scoffed, although the overall scathing effect was ruined by the smile that had appeared._

"_Well, do you blame me?" Jane replied, giving her an evident once-over and letting his hands fall to the waistband of her workpants._

"_You obviously have no self-control."_

"_Not when it comes to you, my dear, no."_

Sliding her jacket from her shoulders, Lisbon hung it up on the coat hook, noting with a small smile that his was already there.

"I missed you last night," Jane said quietly. She glanced over her shoulder, and then in one smooth movement, he was up from the sofa, crossing the room and wrapping his arms around her waist. Lisbon sighed, reluctantly turning in his arms to accept his kiss.

Sensing her hesitation, Jane frowned, and broke away.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she responded automatically. Jane ducked his head to meet her eyes.

"When it's just me and you, do me a favor and admit that you can't lie."

Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"I'm just...thinking about the case."

"Well, I knew _that._"

Jane led her to the sofa, sat down beside, and then waited for her head to drift onto his shoulder.

"That woman had everything, Jane," she said quietly, "the husband, the children, the stupid dog. I just don't understand why she would risk it all for having that little bit more. She already had everything important."

"Sometimes everything isn't enough."

They descended into a comfortable silence. Jane pressed a kiss to her forehead, his hand running up and down her arm.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," he said quietly. Lisbon immediately tensed in his arms.

"Is this something I want to hear?"

"You tell me- I went to the real estate office today."

She relaxed into his side, breathing a soft sigh of relief.

"Oh yeah?"

"I don't need two, so I put my house on the market."

"The Malibu house?" Lisbon asked.

"I thought about whether to put the townhouse up too, but I thought I should discuss it with you first."

"Why?"

Jane chuckled at her confusion.

"Because I'll need a place to stay."

"Don't be stupid, you can just st..." Lisbon stopped, her mouth closing abruptly. After a moment, she pinched his side. "Clever, Jane. Really."

He turned her to face him.

"Why not? Six months, Teresa," Jane said, taking her hands between his, "Six months."

"But the team..."

"Have known for quite a while."

"They have?" Lisbon asked incredulously. Jane nodded, grinning at the horror on her face.

"Don't worry, they won't say anything. Now, back to my original point, why won't you let me move in with you?"

"Why are you so adamant that I agree?"

Jane shrugged, moving her legs into his lap.

"My dear, I don't quite understand why you're so against this idea."

"Oh, I could think of at least five reasons," Lisbon replied. She should have known that making a bet with Jane, no matter how trivial, would never work out well for her.

"Go on then," the CBI consultant challenged with a broad grin. Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"First, I like having my own space, just for me."

"But I'm here most weekends," Jane pointed out.

"It's a good thing to have a place away from each other."

"That's the same as the first point."

"The townhouse has a special meaning..."

"It doesn't mean as much to me as you do, Teresa."

She sighed in defeat.

"Fine, so what about Red John?" she asked. His smile faded.

"What about him?"

"If we go past...whatever the hell we are now, then what happens if you get your chance? I don't want to live in 'our' apartment without you."

He watched her eyes dart away before quickly returning to his.

"I'm fine with you moving in, Patrick," she said quietly, "but only if I can have...all of you. Selfish, I know, but..."

"Stop."

He looked deep into her eyes, reaching so far into her heart that Lisbon had no choice but to look away.

Jane cleared his throat, pressing another gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth, and stood up.

"I feel like ice-cream. One scoop or two, my dear?"

He would never answer her question, because he didn't know how. There were too many things to consider, too many reactions to take in at once.

Lisbon would accept his non-answer, ignore his reluctance to let her see _him, _and hope that the end wouldn't be brought about by greed or anger or selfish pride.

She'd been silent for too long. Jane rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, concern clouding his clear blue gaze.

"Teresa?"

Lisbon mustered up a smile, albeit strained, and stretched up to dust her lips over his.

"Two scoops."

* * *

That ending still counts as fluff, right? :S Otherwise I feel I may have failed you. But I KNOW that the next chapter, 'Sloth' is full of fluff, because it's the last one and I wanted to make you guys happy! If you get a chance, please leave a review! Comments are always appreciated, you know.


	7. Sloth

A/N The last one! Sigh. Never mind, I've already planned out my next fic for The Mentalist! *cheesy grin* Thanks so much to everybody who has been reading and reviewing, and also thank you to you guys who have added this to your favorites! :)

Disclaimer: If Lisbon would let go of Jane for just one minute, I may be able to work out some sort of custody arrangement, but until then, we're screwed.

* * *

'_The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be punished'_

_Proverbs 12:24_

The alarm clock seemed to have risen in volume in the last five minutes. Lisbon flung out an arm, smirking as the clock flew to the floor and finally stopped ringing. She rolled over, burrowing further into the sheets.

"Stupid alarm clock," she muttered.

"I do believe you are definitely _**not**_ a morning person, my dear."

Lisbon opened an eye to glare at him. Jane chuckled, tightening his arm around her waist. He kissed her gently, smiling when her still sleepy body leant into his. Her hand found the curls at the back of his neck.

"It's late. We should get up," Jane murmured against her lips. Lisbon scowled, breaking away to growl in frustration.

"No. I'm happy where I am," she pouted. Jane settled onto his back, pulling her with him until she was wrapped tightly in his arms. Lisbon smiled, lips curving against his smooth chest, and released a content sigh.

"We should still get up," Jane pointed out.

"I don't want to."

"Teresa..." he sang, his fingers travelling up and down her spine. She pinched his side.

"Don't 'Teresa'me, _Patrick._ I'm not going to, beca..."

Whatever she had been about to say was swallowed by his lips, and Lisbon couldn't help but give into his kiss.

"You're impossible," she muttered. He grinned.

"But aren't you glad Minnelli gave you two days off? Just think of all the fun you can have."

"When he _blackmailed _me into having some 'time to relax', I don't think this is quite what she had in mind," she said, pushing at his shoulder and forcing him to draw back.

She laughed at the wounded look on his face.

"I need the bathroom," she explained.

"Ah," he replied with a charming grin, lying back and folding his arms behind his head. Hearing her soft humming from the room next door, Jane chuckled. _I never would have guessed she listened to High School Musical..._

"Jane?" Lisbon called from the bathroom, "Did you use all my toothpaste?"

He rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow.

"I knew there was something I meant to replace."

"I only put that one out on Sunday. Don't you know about 'pea-sized amounts'?"

Lisbon returned to the bedroom, his discarded shirt hanging loosely from her shoulders. She made a move to slide in beside him, but Jane nudged her away.

"No, no. I've made a new rule. No shirts allowed in this bed."

She arched an eyebrow.

"No shirts allowed in this bed?"

"Exactly. Off," he demanded, tugging at the material. Heaving a sigh of mock defeat, Lisbon easily pulled the material over her head, balling it up and throwing it away.

Grinning craftily, Jane pulled her down beside him, and once again covering her mouth with his. Her eyes fluttered shut, her body perfectly aligned with his. Lisbon felt his tongue touch her lips, and let her mouth open to him, one smooth leg going over his to draw him closer.

Rolling over suddenly, Jane chuckled at her surprised gasp, his lips tracing a line down towards her shoulder. Lisbon squirmed under him, but her small body did nothing but cause Jane to groan into her neck and pin her to the bed.

"Stop moving, woman," he moaned. Lisbon laughed softly.

"Then let me up."

As the room was filled with an irritating ring, she groaned, and chuckling, Jane reached over her for her cell phone.

"Not yet," he replied.

"What are you doing?" she asked in alarm. Grinning, the CBI consultant shifted his hips, satisfied when she fell still and released a soft moan. He glanced at the screen, flipping it open.

"Cho?" he said, "It's Jane."

"Where's Lisbon?" Cho asked immediately. Jane chuckled as the woman beneath him arched an eyebrow as if to say 'Go ahead and try to explain this'.

"Minnelli blackmailed her into taking two long overdue days off," Jane began with a grin, "I came by to see our dear Lisbon, and she seems to be doing her best Frankenstein impression. Green skin and everything."

"I have no idea what you just said," Cho replied. Jane rolled his eyes.

"Lisbon's sick. Most likely the flu, but we'll see."

"Okay. What about you? Just because she's sick doesn't mean you can have the day off too."

"Do you really want me to come in without Lisbon? I do tend to be something of a fly in the ointment during investigations..."

There was a moment of silence, until Cho spoke again.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Laughing as the dial tone filled his ear, Jane replaced the phone on the table. Lisbon wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I don't know how I feel about being compared to Frankenstein," she teased. Jane grinned, resting his chin on her chest.

"I meant it in the most loving way."

Her hands slipped down between them, caressing his firm chest before sliding further towards the sheets barely covering their hips.

"I've never lied to Cho before," she said thoughtfully, arching her neck as his lips trailed a line of kisses along the column of her throat.

"Meh, he'll survive. You're ill, remember? Racing heart...overheating...shivers...aching muscles."

It was like his lips and hands were in a race towards the finish line, and Lisbon released a soft moan when his lips danced over the valley of her breasts.

"I think this is one illness I don't mind having," she admitted softly. Jane looked up sharply, because what happened _after_ had never been discussed, even though this was not the first morning they had woken up together.

Lisbon swallowed the lump in her throat, hoping that he wouldn't leave, and released a slow breath now that it was finally out there.

Jane pushed himself up on his elbows, his smile gone.

"Do you mean that?" he asked seriously. Lisbon felt a tiny smile break free, and she nodded.

"I mean it. Against my better judgement," she added teasingly. Seeing the affection directed at him, a broad grin split across his face, and he returned to his task.

"So you like this...illness?"

"I do. It has its plus points."

"That's good," Jane murmured, moving back up to her lips, "because I don't think there's a cure."

* * *

That's all, folks! Man, I miss Looney Tunes...anyway, I just want to once again tell you all how much I appreciate the support! :)


End file.
